Spider-Man and Power Girl
Chapter 14: One Hell of a Housewarming
If there was one thing Kara appreciated in life, it was good friends. Especially those willing to help her move into her new place. Reed, Sue and Johnny were here in civilian clothing helping out. Granted she could just literally lift everything herself but it would look strange for a single person just carrying a bed frame or a couch all on her own with no issues.
"You know when we're inside I can just take all the weight," Kara spoke up to Johnny who had the other side of the old couch she found for sale online. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't falling apart and wasn't stained best of all it was within her budget.
The apartment took a good chunk of her savings for the first and last month's deposit so most of the furniture was second hand, except for a few items that the FF had gotten her as a housewarming gifts. She really was going to have to repay them one day for all the kindness they had given her.
"I got it, what kind of guy would I be to not pull my own weight?" Johnny said with some bravado.
Karen just rolled her eyes trying not to smirk. He could keep his male ego if he wanted but she could literally lift both him and the couch off the ground easily enough. Well, if he wanted to suffer that was his call.
"It's too bad that Ben can't join us for this," Reed stated walking in with a couple of chairs for the dining table already set up.
"Yeah, but how do we explain to people the giant orange rock man stomping around?" Johnny asked him. While it was easier for the rest of the Fantastic Four to slip into a crowd without their costumes on, it was a lot harder for Ben. Which was why he was looking after the kids while they were out helping her move in.
"I at least appreciate the gift he sent," Karen placed down the couch to Johnny's joy as she looked at the TV in front of the couch that Ben had given her. It was a nice size, granted the cable wouldn't be hooked up until maybe tomorrow or the day after. She mentally sighed, even in another universe cable companies couldn't get their act together.
"Well, we all wanted to pitch in," Sue was currently putting away food that they had gotten from a nearby store. She had already put away the few plates, glasses and cutlery that Power Girl owned.
Karen smiled at the superhero family, "I know I've said this before but thank you all for everything. I just…I really don't know how I could have gotten this far without you all."
She felt the sting of tears starting to threaten her eyes and quickly pushed her emotions down. She didn't want to cry at this moment, this wasn't a time for tears. Sue came over and gave her a hug despite this. Karen could really feel the motherly love that Sue just naturally seemed to exert.
"It's not a problem at all," Sue told her. "It was nice having you with the us and you'll always have friends with us."
Karen really did appreciate those words as she hugged the older woman back. Having friends really did make this whole affair much easier to take. With that, they all continued with their work. It wasn't much as Kara planned to over time get more stuff and make her apartment more lived in. She said her goodbyes as they left when they were finished, and Kara was now along in her place. Looking around it was a little sparse but that was okay.
She had a nice rug under her couch with the TV, she had gotten a used DVD/Blur ray player hooked up with a bunch of cheap disks from a bargain bin to play to kill time. Besides there were some movies that didn't exist in her universe here, so she was eager to check them out later. She went into the other room to see her bed was set up, but she was going to have to put the linens on.
Not a problem with a girl with super speed as in a blur it was done, she had also taken the time to unbox her clothing and put it into the large single closet. She mainly had three sections, the Karen Starr section for being her civilian identity, a section for when she wanted to go out as just her and finally her costumes as Power Girl. She was debating over modifying the place to have a secret compartment for her costumes but that might be overboard, for now at least.
She wasn't planning on having house guests just yet, but she placed one of the moving boxes under her costumes in case someone unexpected stopped by and she had to quickly pack them into the box, so they weren't seen.
Looking around with her hands on her hips she felt she was finally starting to feel like she was fitting in, in this world. It was a struggle but slowly things were becoming more normalized. She still missed her old life and friends terribly, she was sure she wouldn't totally get over losing them, losing her entire life again. At least this time she had some people she could rely on to give her something to lean on.
Looking at the time it was well past her usual time she ate as she felt her stomach telling her to get something to eat. She was about to go back into the main room when a tapping sound caught her attention. She followed the sound and looked up to her skylight to see Spider-Man there, waving at her.
She floated on up as she unlatched it and opened it up. "So, is this how you're going to get into my apartment from now on?"
"Not unless you want to tell your neighbors you know Spider-Man," He joked as he held up a pizza box with a large soda with it. "So, I got off work and wanted to bring you a housewarming gift…but I wasn't sure what you needed so I figured free food is always good."
Karen smiled as she floated back down. "I was just thinking of getting something to eat, come on in."
Peter smiled under his mask as he jumped down with the items. "Nice, pretty basic but I figure you're working on that."
"Pretty much," she nodded. "How did you know I lived here? I haven't told you yet."
She had actually planned on telling him when she got the chance, she knew where he lived after all, so it was only fair.
"I asked Johnny," Peter said explaining everything as he placed down the pizza and drink.
"Of course, it was," Karen sighed a little, the guy liked to talk but at least she didn't tell just anyone private things like this. She decided to might as well break in the dishes and glasses for her first house guest.
They ended up on the couch with the box in front of them on the low personal table in front of the TV as Karen decided to throw in one of the DVDs. She put in Jerry Maguire since in her world the main character was played by Tom Hanks but in this one it was Tom Cruise, it was a very different ton of film from the one she had watched.
"I really can't see Tom Hanks in this role," Spider-Man said taking drink. "I feel he would play it totally differently."
"He did," Karen said finishing a bite. "He played it as a more caring role as someone completely focused on his clients and other people, plus he had a much more stable romance arc."
"Yeah, as much as I like Hanks and let's face it, who doesn't like him? I can't see him playing a character with the kind of love life Cruise's character did in this film." He admitted.
"Agreed," she nodded. "God this is so weird seeing this film again like this, I'd swear it was a remake if the rest of the cast wasn't different, but it looks like everyone else was cast in the same roles."
"I kind of want to see the Tom Hanks version now," Peter thought it sounded interested more of a full drama then a romantic comedy from what he was hearing.
"I will admit the 'show me the money' scene is better in this version as Hanks didn't go as over the top as Cruise did here." She smiled at seeing that scene. It was such a ton difference between the films but this one was more memorable.
"Oh yeah it's the most famous part of this film," Peter told her going for another slice.
"I can see why," she nodded. "I don't think I'll be able to think of this film again without thinking of this scene now."
Karen had to admit it was a nice break from things, just hanging out with him was nice and very relaxing. She felt at ease with him around, comfortable as they just sat watching a film and idly making commentary about it. Peter was having a similar feeling, he couldn't remember the last time he just sat back like this with someone. Kara was easy to talk to and it helped that she could keep up with a scientific conversation as well as just mindless media like they were watching.
But of course, like his usual luck, something happened. That mainly being his Avenger's ID card going off in his belt under his costume. He quickly pulled it out as Kara paused the film. Peter hit the small button in the corner with his thumb.
"Spider-Man here," He replied as the ID cards worked as not only identification but security cards, alert systems and more importantly communication system for the Avengers.
"Spider-Man, it looks like Annihilus is back," came Captain America's voice.
Peter groaned; it figured that thing was earlier in the week wasn't over. It looks like it had just been a probing action. "Where?"
"Downtown, you can't miss it."
"On my way," He pulled down his mask.
Kara heard all that and she had to admit that she felt the need to do something about it. She couldn't have slipped out of work last time but this time she could help. Besides what kind of hero would she be if she sat on the sidelines.
"Well looks like my housewarming turned into a villain invasion." Kara got up. "Give me a second to change."
"Yeah well-"whatever he thought of died as she disappeared in a blur and was back all suited up. The small cape was actually bellowing from the speed she had been moving at for a second. "Wow when you said a second you were being literal."
"So, we are going or not?" Power Girl asked with a smile with her hands on her hips.
Peter thumbed the communication button again. "Yeah, I'm also bringing some extra fire power for this."
-Downtown-
"Yeah, I'm also bringing some extra fire power for this."
"Extra fire power?" Iron Man asked as he flew on by blasting more creatures that were coming out of the portals his helmet having been keyed into the Avenger's frequency so he could keep up to date on everyone. "I wonder who that will be?"
Downtown was a mess, green portals had opened up in a half a dozen spots as creatures started to come out of them. They were reptilian in nature with long tails but had armor that looked to be surgically or maybe grown into the flesh. Their faces were all covered in amor with glowing yellow eyes as they hissed and roared. There were several different looking species, some had cybernetic wings flying about, other were more heavily armored where barely any flesh could be seen.
All of them had vague similarities to the armor worn by Annihilus which was one of the reasons the Avengers knew who was behind it. Plus, Reed had after the first attack studied the energy readings and the bodies of the other creatures. Between him and Tony they found out they originated from the Negative Zone and were some kind of grown army. Apparently Annihilus was experimenting with creating new foot soldiers to use.
"Not sure, but at this moment I'll take all we can get," Captain America said throwing his shield as it sailed through the air bouncing off several of the monsters before coming back at him and catching it easily.
A large slam was heard as She-Hulk used someone's already wrecked car to slam several of the creatures. "I was so looking forward to having a night off too."
"Busy week?" Tony asked flying by to blast two more creatures out of the air.
"I had just finished a case today and finished a fifty-page document for another client's trail." She angerly smashed with her fist one of the more heavily armored creatures. "Tonight was my one free day off this whole week."
"No wonder I pay my lawyers so much," Tony muttered to himself.
An arrow slammed into the chest of one creature as then suddenly goo expanded out encasing three more before the substance became solid immobilizing them. "As much fun as it is to learn about the law system," Hawkeye commented taking another arrow and shot down a flyer. "When is the backup getting here?"
"Thor said he's on the way," Captain America said slamming his shield into one of the monsters as he blocked the blaster on the wrists of another before rushing forward and using his shield like a battering ram to take it out. "Black Widow isn't even in the state at the moment, Captain Marvel is in space, and I couldn't reach Dr. Strange."
"I guess the Doc is busy fighting Cthulhu or something." Iron Man commented.
"Well, we could use all the help we can get," Jessica Drew the Spider-Woman in her red and yellow outfit grabbed two of the creatures with a hand each before hitting them with her venom blasts. "What about reserves?"
"Sent out the auto alert just in case," He replied. "If they're in the area and can respond they'll be here."
"Hey guys, I'm here for the party and brought a guest!" Spider-Man shouted out as she swung down to dive kicked one of the creatures away.
"Who's that?" Captain America asked then seeing the familiar blonde flying down. "Ah, I see."
"Ah so we got the New Girl," Iron Man stated.
"Question, are these things sentient?" Power Girl asked looking at the cyborg monstrosities.
"Not really," Iron Man explained flying next to her. "From what I found about the bodies of the first group, they're as smart as dogs and are mainly controlled by cybernetics in the helmets going directly into their brain."
"Good, then I don't need to hold back," Power Girl's eyes starting to glow red as heat beams came out of them as she quickly made work of dozens of the creatures. Her heat beams slicing them in two wherever she looked. If they were sentient, she couldn't do this but from what she gathered it was like fighting Parademons, monsters or anything else she wouldn't feel guilty about.
It also allowed her to do something she's been wanting to do for awhile now, let loose.
Power Girl with blinding speed flew to the flying creatures and slamming her fists into them with such force they came crashing into the ground, some went right through cars, those that hit the streets ended up an inch into the ground. Kara breathed in and then with her breath froze dozens of them as they crashed and shattered. She was now moving onto the larger armored ones hitting them so hard her fist went through the armor.
"Now that's what I'm talking about," She-Hulk grinned as it was nice having another heavy hitter around. She had been taking on the larger ones easily enough but the flying ones she hadn't been able to reach very easily.
"Okay, New Girl brings a bang to the party," Iron Man stated.
"Keep up the pressure people," Cap told them as he could see the battle turning now. "We can push them back through the portals."
"And then what?" Spider-Man asked knocking down one of the creatures. "How many are there on the other side?"
"Good question," Hawkeye stated as he pulled out a special arrow. "Let's find out."
He fired it as the arrow sailed through the air and into one of the portals. This was a special scanning type. It would relay information back to his shades as he fought on. The arrow hit something as it was not sending back data. Clint got a sonic pulse of a large room, possibly devices and a lot more creatures on the way.
"Well Legolas, what are we working with?" Tony asked him.
"A lot more on the way-and the feed was just cut. Most likely someone destroyed the arrow." Clint from his spot on a car leap over one of the creatures as it tried to claw at the spot where he was. He quickly fired and arrow in mid flip into the back of its head before landing.
"Did you get a sense of what's on the other side?" Spider-Man asked drop kicking one of the larger armored ones. "Like, is it a huge room with tech all over it to open the portal or more like a large waiting room filled with these guys."
"Honestly not sure, it was just a sonic device, so it doesn't get great detail. It was a huge room with lots of what I can guess cables and what could be machines." Hawkeye explained to everyone.
"Sounds like your typical evil villain lab," Iron Man stated flying by while shooting off dozens of small devices that latched on to the metal of the cyborg creatures before zapping them with electricity. With their cybernetics shorted out they all fell to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.
"Well how about we just blast through the portals randomly and hope we hit something important?" She-Hulk said as she picked up one of the armored ones and threw it as hard as she could through the portal. It took a few of the creatures with it but nothing happened. "Well worth a shot."
"You might be on to something," Steve said. "We got to shut them off or at least make them shut it off, so a counterattack might work."
"I got some pretty high explosives on me," Hawkeye stated.
"I can throw some pretty big things through it," She-Hulk added in.
"I got my heat vision," Power Girl said next.
"And you got my repulsor beams and anything else I got in here." Tony did wish he was wearing a War Machine variant or at least have Rhodey here with his War Machine armor. What a time for him to be called in by the military for reason, he wasn't sure, whenever someone says military Tony's mind starts to wander.
"And my axe," Spider-Man said and then noticed a few looks. "Sorry, couldn't help it."
"Alright Avengers, let them have it!" Cap told them as everyone that could fired into the portals. Power Girl's looked in any direction trying to get her heat beams to cover maximum angles. Tony depleted as much power from his suit and ammo as he could, Hawkeye fired a few arrowed marked with a red band, something he used to help mark his special arrows used only for emergencies. She-Hulk started throwing anything big at speeds that would shred anything on the way through the portals, behind them and into whatever they hit.
Large explosions came out of all the portals before they winked out of existence, after that it was just clean up for the team as there were no more reinforcements.
Peter looked around taking a breath when everything calmed down. "Wow, we kind of left a bit of a mess."
All around them were bodies and broken street, sidewalks, damaged buildings and anyone unlucky enough to have a vehicle in the area.
"Yeah, DODC has some work to do, that's for sure." Spider-Woman nodded.
"DODC?" Power Girl asked not familiar with that group.
"Department of Damage Control or just Damage Control is an organization that deals with the clean up," the raven-haired woman explained to the alien.
Power Girl blinked at that, that was actually a very useful thing to have. They didn't have anything like that on her world, mainly the city had to hire construction companies to fix all the damage. Which could take months to years to finish. "Well, that sounds useful."
"It can be," Captain America nodded. "The bigger issue is, what do we do now? We can't keep waiting for Annihilus to just keep sending in more of his new troops."
"I say we go in and put a stop to whatever he's doing," Clint spoke up. "Nip this in the bud as it were."
"It has been some time since I've been to the Negative Zone," Jen Walters was very familiar with this having been a member of the Fantastic Four years ago replacing The Thing for a time. "We can get Reed to help with that, since he's the world's expert on that realm."
"A field trip does sound in order," Tony nodded and then looked to Power Gir. "What do you say New Girl? Want to join in on this?"
"Me?" Karen blinked.
"You can tough it out plus we could use all the help we can get going in there." Tony explained. He also was curious to see what her full powers were. So far, she was looking to be a very major heavy weight. After the loss of Sentry, they could use someone of that power scale if only to help out with major threats. He had planned to talk to Steve about seeing about making her an auxiliary member, but if she did even better, he was thinking of maybe looking to full membership.
Power Girl was surprised by the sudden invitation, but she wasn't going to say no to it. These things attacked the city twice already and if she could help, when then, she was going to make sure this city was safe.
"Well, I'm in," Power Girl told them.
Before anyone could say anything a crack of thunder suddenly sounded as a loud voice was heard in the skies.
"I hath arrived my comrades! Let us do battle with…" Thor paused as he landed onto the ground and looked over the battle. "Have I arrived too late for the battle?"
"Yeah, sorry big guy you missed all the fun," Tony told him.
"Oh, well then…" Thor was a bit at a loss, he was looking forward for a good fight with his friends, but it seemed he was not fast enough. He felt a patting on his arm as he looked to see Spider-Man there.
"Don't worry about it Thor, we're going to Annihilus' place to mess up his evil plans, that's still good right?" He offered hoping to give Thor something to look forward to.
It did seem to cheer up the thunder god. "Aye, this miserable cur has assaulted Midgard for the last time. We shall go to the monster's lair and slay the beast."
"Uh…is he seriously talking about killing this guy?" Power Girl whispered over to She-Hulk who she was standing next to whispering.
"Yeah, but it won't last," Jen says as she explains. "See Annihilus has this thing where every time he dies, he just gets reborn. So, you can technically 'kill' him, but he always comes back, it does take some time for him to come back. I think at least, not sure anyone has actually timed how long it takes him to grow back up into adulthood, now that I think about it."
"Huh, there was a guy I knew back home called Resurrection Man, every time he died, he came back with a different power." Power Girl muttered.
"Like on top of what he had before or just one power at a time kind of thing?"
"One at a time," Power Girl explained.
"So then, I guess it's time to see Doctor Richards about a way into the Negative Zone," Captain America says gathering all their attention. Since Reed was the only person, they knew who even kept a device that could create a pathway into the Negative Zone he was the only one they could turn to for help with this problem. They had to find Annihilus and stop whatever her was planning, since if this was any indication the next attempt at an invasion was even worst as each attempt was increasing in force.
Peter moved over to Kara, "So much for a nice quiet housewarming night huh?"
"Putting it mildly but hey, I finally get to see this Negative Zone I've kept hearing about." Karen just hoped it was nothing like the Phantom Zone. It would also give her a chance to see how the heroes of this world operate on a firsthand basis. So far, she seemed to get the same feeling from the Avengers as she did with the JLU or JLA. Of a close-knit team that worked together to help the world.
So far, she liked what she saw, even thought he only one she knew the most was Spider-Man, she hoped the others would be just as good to get to know. Captain America already gave off this leadership vibe, more so than anyone else she had ever met. It wasn't intimidation like Batman or a sense of power like Superman.
It was hard to put into words, like if you took what leadership meant and put it into human form it would be him. He had this old school morals and upbringing that reminded her of the Kents (from her Earth 2 at least) but also with a sense of duty and confidence that just made you want to follow the man.
Tony was…well he was complicated she only met him a bit but already his reputation preceded him. The others she only met once before or for the first time now. So, this mission would be the perfect time to learn more about them.
"Good news," Tony said getting everyone's attention. "I just finished calling Richards, he'll get the gateway to the Negative Zone warmed up for us."
"So how are we going to find him once we get over there?" Spider-Man asked. "I mean it's a big place."
"My suit was able to get some scans through the portals," Iron Man said to him. "I've been using it to extrapolate where he's operating from, I got a general area, but I sent the data to Reed for further analysis. He's mapped out more of the Negative Zone than anyone and if he can't help us narrow it done, no one could."
"Sounds like a plan," Hawkeye spoke up. "I think I need to get more arrows if we're going to the Negative Zone, used up a lot with this."
"I can give you a lift to the Tower," Tony stated. "I got to change suits anyway."
"Alright we'll meet up with the Fantastic Fout in an hour then," Steve commanded as the Avengers broke off with Tony flying with Clint back to the tower. Leaving the rest to go to the Baxter Building.
TBC…